While your DNA stays the same, our science is constantly improving to provide more precise and informative ethnicity estimates. With this update we added more samples to our reference panel, which expands the number and diversity of populations we can compare your DNA to. We also updated the DNA algorithm to provide more precise ethnicity estimate results going forward. You may see new regions or changes in your percentages with this update.

AncestryDNA calculates your ethnicity estimate by comparing your DNA to a reference panel made up of DNA samples from more than 68,000 people, representing 84 different populations. Because our reference panel and the way we analyze your DNA both change as we get more data, your ethnicity results can change as we get more data, too. Ethnicity estimates support article – Click here for a deeper dive into ethnicity estimates.

Ancestry is constantly updating our technology and cutting-edge science. As we update our algorithm and reference panel, your results may change. Additionally, as we add more and more customers to our AncestryDNA database, we hope to increase the number and granularity of our ethnicity regions, making each update more precise.

We calculate your AncestryDNA ethnicity estimate by comparing your DNA to a reference panel made up of thousands of DNA samples from people with long family histories in one place or within one group. Our reference panel is robust due to the millions of family trees linked to our DNA customers. For this update, Ancestry’s team of scientists increased the AncestryDNA reference panel size we use to make ethnicity estimates. The updated reference panel has more samples from more parts of the world to increase the total number of regions available for analysis from 77 to 84.

Because this update is more precise overall, many users will see improvements in their ethnicity estimates as percentages change. Others will see new or updated regions in their estimates. Ancestry will continue to work to expand the diversity of our products to provide more precise ethnicity estimates to our customers.

To estimate your genetic ethnicity, we compare your DNA to the DNA of people with long family histories from specific parts of the world. This group of individuals is called our reference panel. The unique AncestryDNA reference panel is a collection of over 68,000 DNA samples from around the globe that we use to identify 84 different populations. It’s unique because most samples come from our database, and their heritage is verified through Ancestry family trees.

Representing the people of the world fairly is our priority. We go through several steps and work with a diverse network of outside scholars and experts to develop and review how our regions are named. We start with a set of maps that show us where we typically find a particular ethnicity region in the results of people who are native to an area. We also consider who will typically be getting a region in their results to make sure a name is broad or narrow enough to be a good fit. That gives us a starting point. From there we sometimes test various names with users local to an area or ask them for suggestions. Finally, we have a panel of outside subject-matter experts with local and scholarly expertise who review our names for both accuracy and cultural sensitivity.

With this update, we’ve added more samples to the reference panel we use to generate ethnicity estimates. As a result, we’re able to add four new regions to Asia: Central & Eastern China, Southwestern China, Nepal & the Himalayan Foothills, and Tibetan Peoples. We’ve also added two new regions to Africa: Nigeria—East Central and Nilotic Peoples. Additionally, we split the region formerly called Eastern Polynesia & New Zealand Maori into separate Hawaii and New Zealand Maori regions.

A larger reference panel allows us to better tell neighboring regions apart and improve existing regions. For example, many people with Indigenous roots in Cuba or Haiti and the Dominican Republic will see significant increases in their percentages for these regions. Several other regions also saw significant improvements, including Ivory Coast & Ghana, Samoa, Tonga, Mongolia & Central Asia–North, Southern India, Southeast Asia, Arabian Peninsula, France, Basque, Aegean Islands, Germanic Europe, Sweden & Denmark, Norway, and Indigenous Americas—Yucatan Peninsula, —Central, —Panama & Costa Rica, and —Bolivia & Peru.

Your ethnicity inheritance results come from your DNA. Using our proprietary SideView™ technology, we can distinguish the DNA you inherited from each of your biological parents, and then run an ethnicity estimation on each set of DNA separately. Because this update expands the number and diversity of populations we compare your DNA to during ethnicity estimation, your ethnicity inheritance results might also change. You may see new regions or changes in percentages with this update.

The updated France region provides improved results for people with a long family history in France. The increased precision of the France region has affected results in other populations of French descent, including people in Quebec.

The updated France region provides improved results for people with a long family history in France. The increased precision of the France region may affect results in neighboring areas, especially those with historical connections to France through trade, migration, and politics. Users with family history going back to northwestern Italy, northeastern Spain, and the Ticino Canton in Switzerland may see some increased France assignment in their ethnicity results.

The updated Aegean Islands region provides improved results for people with long family histories in the Aegean Islands and Crete. Updates to this region may also impact neighboring regions, especially those with close historical connections to the Aegean Islands through trade, migration, and politics. Users with family history going back to southeastern Italy or western Turkey may see some increased Aegean Island assignment in their ethnicity results.

Adding our new Southwestern China and Central & Eastern China regions has affected results for neighboring regions, including Northern China. Users with family history going back to northern parts of China may see some decrease in their Northern China percentage.

Making improvements to our Indigenous Eastern South America region has affected results in some neighboring regions, including estimates of our Indigenous Americans—Colombia & Venezuela region for people with long family histories in northern Venezuela.

Updates to our algorithm have impacted ethnicity estimates for some regions, including our Indigenous Americas—Bolivia & Peru region. People from neighboring regions may see some increase in Indigenous Americas—Bolivia & Peru in their ethnicity estimate.

We added two new regions in part of the area previously covered by our Eastern Polynesia & New Zealand Maori region. The two new regions are Hawaii and New Zealand Maori. These new regions provide more precise results for people of both indigenous Hawaiian and New Zealand heritage. Meanwhile, people from places near or with deep historical and genetic ties to Hawaii and New Zealand, including French Polynesia and the Cook Islands, will most likely see their previous Eastern Polynesia & New Zealand Maori percentage split between the new Hawaii and New Zealand Maori regions.

We added two new regions in the area previously covered by our Eastern Polynesia & New Zealand Maori region. The new regions are Hawaii and New Zealand Maori. These new regions provide more precise results for people of both indigenous Hawaiian and New Zealand Maori heritage. Because of the shared history of Eastern Polynesian indigenous populations (being descended from voyagers spreading from West Polynesia), people with Hawaiian or Maori heritage may see some percentage of the other East Polynesian region in their results.

As people move, so does their DNA. To bring you the most precise results in your ethnicity estimate we aim to build a reference panel that includes people whose DNA is typical of DNA from a certain place. To do this, we look for people whose families have lived in the same country or part of a country for generations. These are customers with deep roots to that place, and their long family history in that place is reported in their Ancestry family trees.

Many customers won’t see big changes. As our science and data improve, we’re able to provide more precise and informative ethnicity estimates, but this doesn’t always happen all over the world at once. So while some customers may see new regions or changes in their percentages, others may see smaller changes or no changes at all. We'll keep using advances in science to enhance our customers' experiences, which means that your results could evolve as the resolution of our DNA estimates improve even more.

This updated ethnicity estimate is provided free of charge to AncestryDNA customers.

No, your new ethnicity estimate will appear in your DNA Story whether you are logged in via mobile or desktop. If you would like to view your new results in the Ancestry App, please make sure you have downloaded the most updated version.

You will be able to view and download the prior version of your ethnicity estimate in DNA Story for 90 days after the update.

No, we can update your results without you having to provide a new sample.

When you receive your DNA results, they’ll include the latest ethnicity estimate.

As soon as your new results are ready, we will automatically apply this update. The new results will replace your current ethnicity estimate.

We’ve added thousands of additional samples to the reference panel we use to determine your ethnicity estimate. With this additional data, we can now identify 84 different world populations to compare your DNA to, and we’re also better able to tell neighboring regions apart. With this increased precision you could see changes to the regions your DNA is assigned to, your percentages, or both.

Don’t worry—your DNA hasn’t changed! What’s changed is the amount of data we have available. We’ve added thousands of additional samples to the reference panel we use to determine your ethnicity estimate. This means we can now identify 84 different world populations to compare your DNA against. Our larger reference panel lets us provide results that are even more precise. Analyzing DNA to estimate a person’s ethnicity is at the cutting edge of science—and in a field that is evolving rapidly, we are always keeping an eye on the latest developments and how we can use them to make improvements to your test results.

Increased precision means we’re better able to tell neighboring regions apart. This means that some regions from previous results may not appear in your results anymore.

Your latest ethnicity estimate takes advantage of a larger reference panel, which allows us to estimate your ethnicity with an even higher degree of precision.

We’re confident in the science behind our proprietary algorithm and the precision of these results. The consumer genomics industry is rapidly evolving, and these results are as precise as possible for where the science is today. At the same time, we’ll keep using advances in science to enhance our customers’ experiences, which means that these results can evolve over time as the resolution of DNA estimates improve. A good example of this is our ability to break up large regions into smaller, more specific regions—which means you may see more precise geographies in your ethnicity estimate over time.

Your latest ethnicity estimate takes advantage of a larger reference panel, which allows us to estimate your ethnicity with a higher degree of precision. That said, your DNA is only one element of a much larger picture, and your family history and relatives play an important role in your personal story, even if they are not specifically reflected in your AncestryDNA ethnicity estimate.

While we each inherit 50% of our DNA from our father and 50% from our mother, that also means that there’s 50% of each parent’s DNA we don’t get. If your parent has only a small percentage of DNA for a specific region, you might not inherit any of that portion of their DNA. Additionally, with our updated estimates, regions you previously inherited only small percentages for could now be below the level that we report in your results. Siblings also get 50% of each parent’s DNA, but which DNA segments they get is completely random, which is why your results won’t necessarily match your sib’s–unless you’re identical twins. Understanding inheritance support article – Click here for a deeper dive on why your DNA results might be different than your parents and your siblings.

The change will not affect your DNA matches.

Ethnicity updates don’t affect communities. Instead of a reference panel, our proprietary Genetic Communities™ technology determines communities by identifying groups of people in our DNA network who have more matches to each other than to people in other parts of the network and searching the linked family trees of people in the community to identify ancestors who were in the same area at the same time.

Yes! To share your ethnicity results with friends and family outside of Ancestry, click the “Share” button on your results page. Then you can share your results via various social media or messaging channels, download an image of your results, or copy a shareable link of your results. Once you share that link, anybody can use it to access a summary of your results.

We assign the most likely percentage for each of your ethnicity regions based on our analysis. These are the percentages that show up in your results. However, our analysis also provides a number of other percentages that are not as likely but still possible. These make up your range.

If Ancestry does not have enough data to identify a genetic profile for a specific population or area, your ethnicity estimate will most likely reflect neighboring regions. However, it is important to note two factors. First, some populations do not differ enough at a genetic level to be distinguished as separate regions. Second, countries change over time, and borders on a map today don’t necessarily reflect genetic boundaries, so there may be countries that do not fall into a single ethnicity region.

Yes. Your previous privacy settings will remain the same with this update. Additionally, you can adjust your settings at any time via your DNA Results Summary Page. We also offer a host of resources and tools that help you manage your privacy settings on our website.

Yes, you can find it on our White Papers page.